International Journal of Research in Economics and Social Sciences (IJRESS) Available online at: http://euroasiapub.org Vol. 8 Issue 2, February - 2019 ISSN(o): 2249-7382 | Impact Factor: 6.939 | International Journal of Research in Economics & Social Sciences Email:- editorijrim@gmail.com, http://www.euroasiapub.org (An open access scholarly, peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary, monthly, and fully refereed journal.) 1 ICT INTEGRATED HIGHER EDUCATION: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES Sajad Ahmad Mir Research Scholar Department of Education Central University of Kashmir Mail: sajadmir@cukashmir.ac.in Abstract The present paper primarily examines the key role that information and communication technology (ICT) plays in addressing three important issues of higher education. These three important issues are Access, Quality and Equity in higher educational institutions. The paper further seeks to investigate the potential benefits of ICT in teaching learning process, administration and research that make up the mission of higher education. It also highlights the major ICT centered initiatives taken up by higher education such as Satellite Instructional Television Experiment, Gyan Darshan, Educational Satellite and Digital India Project. Some major challenges for ICT integrated higher education are also explored in the present study. Finally suggestions have been framed regarding the proper adoption and implementation of ICT in education. Keywords: ICT; Major ICT based Initiatives; Higher Education Introduction Information and communication technology (ICT) is a force that has revolutionized all spheres of life in general and education in particular. An integral part of education and a social necessity use of ICT are widely accepted and appreciated. ICT includes any technological device or application used for communication. These technological devices such as radio, television, computer, cellular phone etc. are also used to collect, generate, distribute, administer and disseminate information. It also provides various services such as video conferencing and distance learning. The impact of ICT on learning is in relation to use of digital media, primarily computers and internet to facilitate teaching and learning. ICT resources are easy to access, readily available and user friendly. In educational context ICT stands for any technology used in conveying, manipulation and storage of data by electronic means. The fact is that ICTs have provided a helping hand in uplifting the overall education system, but despite that, the impact of ICT services on academia has been minimal in the world as a whole. It has put an end to the barriers of space and time. ICTs also allow for the creation of digital resources like digital libraries where the students, teachers and professionals can access research material and course material from any place at any time (Bhattacharya & Sharma, 2007; Cholin, 2005). In India, higher education is mostly offered by Central, State, Deemed and Private Universities, Autonomous Affiliated Government and Private Colleges and various Institutes of Excellence like IITs, NITs, and IISC etc. The higher education system of India is considered as the largest system in the world in terms of number of institutions and third in terms of student enrolment (only after China and USA). The system of higher education has witnessed significant great expansion with the emergence of a number of private institutions over the last few years, yet again the quality remains a buzzword in contemporary times. After Independence, Indian Higher Education sector has witnessed a manifold increase in the number of Universities & Colleges. The number of Universities has increased 39.45 times from 20 in 1950 to 789 in 2018. The sector boasts of 47 Central Universities, 359 State Universities, 260 State Private universities, 123 Deemed to be Universities, 65 Institutions of National Importance (established under Acts of Parliament) under MHRD (IITs - 23, NITs - 31 and IISERs - 7, IIEST - 1, School of Planning and Architecture - 3). The number of colleges has also registered manifold increase of approximately 69 times with just 500 in 1950 growing to 34193 (MHRD, 2018). Although there is substantial increase in number of higher educational institutions but still there